Belt turning attachment for sewing machines



Aug. 26, 1947. v

v. J. SIGODA ET AL.

BELT TURNING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Feb. 20, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TORS V/cTOR U. 5/6004 xwo ws/mrS/capA ATTORNEY;

Aug. 1947. v. J. SIGODA ET AL 2,426,285

BELT TURNING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Feb. 20, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w 2 a \Q INVENTORS V/cro/a M 5/6004 BY AND (/ERRYS/GODA 47 TOR/VfYS 1947- v. J. SIGODA ET AL 6,285

BELT TURNING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES File d Fgb. 20, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 N A v I I as .I v INVENTORS VICTOR (4 S/QODA BY ,4/v0 l/ERRYS/GODA MFW A T romvsys.

Patented Aug. 26, 1947 BELT TURNING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Victor J. Sigoda, Great Neck, and Jerry Sigoda,

New York, N. Y., assignors to Man-Sew Corporation, New York, N, Y., a corporation of New York Application February 20, 1945, Serial No. 578,886

10 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a belt turning attachment for sewing machines and has for its general object and purpose to provide a device of simple and inexpensive construction, readily attachable to the cloth plate of a standard sewing machine and operable in the seaming of a folded belt-forming fabric strip to turn the closed end of the belt inwardly so that the seam will be concealed A more particular object of the invention is to provide an attachment of this kind which embodies an arcuately moving arm to engage the closed end of the belt and turn the same inwardly through a tubular guide and project said closed end outwardly from between the fabric folds, in advance of the needle where it may be readily grasped by the attendant or operator.

A further object is to provide means for presetting the belt turning arm and storing power in a device for automatically actuating said arm during the initial portion of the stitching or seaming operation of the sewing machine.

An additional object of the invention resides in the provision of a tubular guide for the belt turning arm and means for adjustably mounting the same on the base plate of the attachment so that the latter may be applied to different makes of sewing machines and said guide properly positioned with respect to the vertically reciprocating needle.

It is also the aim of our invention to provide a belt turning attachment as above characterized which comprises a minimum number of elements of simple and durable structural form, requiring no particular manual dexterity for their efficient operation, and which will materially facilitate the low cost quantity production of fabric belts of this kind,

With the above and other subordinate objects in View, the invention comprises the improved belt turning attachment for sewing machines and the construction and arrangement of its several parts, as will hereinafter be more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings, wherein we have disclosed one simple and practical embodiment of the invention, and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a top plan view, showing our improved belt turning attachmentv as applied to the cloth plate of a sewing machine;

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is an end elevation, looking from the left in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a detail fragmentary plan View showing the folded fabric strip turned to a position at right angles to that seen in Figure l and overlying the tubular guide member for the preliminary stitching together of the longitudinal edges of the fabric at the closed end of the belt;

Figure 5 is a similar View showing the following step in which the fabric belt strip has been turned about the sewing machine needle to position the. tubular guide betweenrthe fabric folds, and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the final position of the belt turning arm and the closed end of the belt projected outwardly beyond the edges of the fabric folds, the top fold being broken away.

Referring in further detail to the drawings, for purposes of illustration, we have shown at, ID a portion of the cloth plate of a conventional sewing machine upon which is mounted the usual operating mechanism for the Work feeding. dog and the vertically reciprocating sewing machine needle, which is indicated at I2. This cloth plate is mounted upon a. supporting frame or bed in the customary manner and is provided with the usual throat plate l4 through which the toothed portion of the feed dog (not shown). operates in conjunction with the presser-foot, indicated at I6, to impart a rectilinear step by step feeding motion to the work relative to. the needle l2. The cloth plate is further provided with a number" of spaced. threaded openings therein for the purpose of mounting various attachments or accessories upon said plate, and in different makes of standard sewing machines, the relative arrangement and. spacing of these openings. differs. However, as will be presently noted, our invention is adapted for application and use in connection with such different makes of sewing machines, and without, necessitating any structural alterations. thereof.

In the selected embodiment of our invention, the attachment comprises an elongated base plate [8 which is. provided adjacent, one of its ends, with a plurality of threaded screw receiving openings, one of which is indicatedv at 20, In transversely spaced relation to, this opening 20, two other similar openings are spaced apart longitudinally of the base plate to. receive the attaching screws indicated at 2.2. The cloth plate of the Singer sewing machine has, similarly spaced threaded openings which receive these attaching screws, whereby the base plate I8 of the attachment is detachably clamped and held in fixed relation to the cloth plate [0.

Upon this end of the base plate a member 24 is mounted, said member having spaced longitudinal slots 26 to receive the clamping screws 28 engaged in threaded openings in the base plate. By adjusting this member 34, the downwardly extending terminal lug 40 thereof may be positioned relative to the inner side of the presser foot IE to properly guide the superposed edge portions of the folded fabric strip beneath said presser foot to the needle [2.

To the other end of thebase plate l8 and adjacent its inner or rear edge, the lower end of a vertical pin or stud 42, upon which the lever 44 is pivotally mounted, is suitably secured. A torsion spring 46 surrounds this pivot stud and is attached thereto at its upper. end by the screw 48. Preferably a stop screw 50 is also threaded in the diametrically opposite side of said pivot stud to-retain the spring thereon. The other end of said spring is laterally extended and bears against the pin 52 fixed in the lever 44 so that said spring tends to yieldingly urge the lever to the normal position shown in Figure 6 of the drawings. a

The lever 44 has a long rearwardly extending part 54 and a short forwardly extending part 56, both parts of said lever being disposed at the same side of the pivot stud 42 and in substantially the same .horizontal plane. The extremity of the part 56 of the ,lever is provided with a suitable operating handle indicated at 58. A b'elt turning arm 60 of arouately curved form has an angular extension 62 at one end provided with spaced slots 64 receiving the clamping screws 66, whereby said arm may be adjustably attached to the rear end of the part 54 of the lever 44. V

. Adjacent to the lever 44 the base plate 18 has a lug 68 struck upwardly therefrom at the forward edge of said plate. A latch lever is pivotally mounted intermediate of its ends upon the lug 68, as by means of the pivot screw 12, for movement in a vertical plane relative to the base plate. One end of this lever is formed with the downwardly projecting lug 14 for latching engagement over. the side edge 16 of the lever 44. The lever 10 is yieldingly urged to such latching position by means of a suitable spring 18 interposed between the base plate l8 and the lower edge of said lever at the opposite side of the pivot 12 with respect to the lug 14. At its other end the lever 10 is formed with a suitable finger piece 80 whereby said lever may be manually actuated in opposition to the spring 18.

From the above description the operation of j the attachment will be readily understood, with reference to Figures 1, 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings. The lever 44 is first manually moved from the position of Figure 6 to that shown in Figure 4 1 and latched in the latter position by means of the lever 10. Thus the free end of the arouately curved arm 60 is positioned in spaced relation from the rear open end of the guide 32 and energy is stored in the spring 46. Having first folded a strip of fabric material of predetermined width upon itself as shown at B in Figure 1 of the drawings, the ends of said folded strip are positioned across the guide tube 32 with the end edges of the strip in contact with the guide lug 40, said edges being then manually directed beneath the presser foot [6 as the sewing machine is operated to vertically reciprocate the needle l2 and thus form the line of stitching indicated at S whereby the end of the belt strip is closed. In this operation, the fold of the fabric strip is first passed beneath the presser foot, and as the stitching approaches the longitudinal edges of said strip, the latter is turned relative to the needle I2 to the position shown in Figure 4 of the drawings where it extends longitudinally above the tubular guide 32. The side edges of the fabric fold are then stitched together for a short distance inwardly from the line of stitching S and the folded fabric strip is then swung laterally about the needle so that the rear end of the tubular guide 32 may enter between said folds. As the belt strip is returned to the position shown in Figure 5, the rear closed end of the belt will then be disposed over the open rear end of the tubular guide 32.

The operator now depresses the end of the lever 10, thus disengaging the lug 14 of said lever from the edge or shoulder 16 of the lever 44, whereupon lever 44 is actuated by the power stored in the spring 46 so that the arouately curved arm 60 engages the closed end of the belt and forces the same inwardly and forwardly through th tubular guide 32. When the force of the spring 46 has been fully expended, the arm 60 will then be in the position indicated in Figure 6 of the drawings and will have projected the closed end of the fabric belt laterally between and beyond the free edges of the folds of the belt fabric in advanc of the base plate I8. The turning of the belt around the rear end of the guide 32 and inwardly therethrough under pressure of the arm 60 takes place progressively with the continued operation of the sewing machine and the formation of the longitudinal seam conneoting the Side edges of the fabric strip with each other. The lever 44 is now manually operated and again latched in the position of Figure 1. The operator then grasps the projecting closed end of the belt with on hand while guiding the folded fabric strip with the other hand to the presser foot l6. As the stitching or seaming operation continues, the operator pulls the belt through the tubular guide 32 so that the seam will be turned inwardly and concealed. The folded fabric strip may be of indefinite length, and. after turning by means of the attachment, may be cut into tubular sections of desired length, the opposite ends of each tubular section being subsequently closed by separate stitching operations.

The mounting of the belt turning arm 60 for movement in a curvilinear path through the guide 32, as distinguished from the usual rectilinear co-axial movement of the belt turning member through the guide, is an important feature of the invention. It is common factory practice to assemble two machines with the operators facing each other, with a common well or trough between them into which the work may be placed. In previous belt turner constructions, the range of movement of the belt turning member was so great that this practice could not be followed and it was necessary to widely space the machines, thus greatly limiting the number of machines which could be installed in the avail able floor space. In the present invention it will be noted that the range of movement of arm 60 is but little greater than the width. of machine plate iii over which the work is fed to the stitching mechanism.

Secondly, the belts are frequently made with a closed pointed end by stitching the ends of the fabric folds together on a diagonal line, In the operation of the present invention this pointed closed end of the belt will be preserved. as the belt end is turned through the guide, since the free end. of the member 661. moving in a curvilinear or arcuate path through the guide will automatically find the corner of the closed belt end. as it emerges from the forward end of the guide adjacent to the inner longitudinal side thereof.

Finally, it will be noted that in the pivotal movement of member iii the closed end of the belt will be projected laterally across the path of feed of the fabric strip to the needle, closely adjacent to the forward end of guide 32 and beyond the fabric folds where it may be easily grasped by the operator. Thus, it is not necessary for the operator to laterally deflect the strip from its feed path to the needle and with respect to the guide, as in prior constructions, which results in an irregular longitudinal seam line.

From the above, it will be seen that we have provided a belt turning attachment for sewing machines which may be readily attached in operative relation to the presser foot and reciprocating needle of different makes of sewing machines by selecting the proper openings in the base plate It for registration with the spaced openings in the cloth plate of the sewing machine to receive the attaching screws 22. The tubular guide 32 and the curved arm 60 may then be properl adjusted and positioned relative to each other and the outer side of the presser foot l6.

It will be appreciated that we have devised a very simple, inexpensive and 'efficiently operating belt turning attachment which may be easily and quickly applied to various makes of sewing machines, and, while functionally independent of the machine operating mechanism, does not re quire a high degree of manual skill or dexterity for its proper operation. It will also be noted that the several parts are so mounted and arranged on the base plate l8 and positioned relative to the presser I 5 that the operator at all times has a clear view of the stitching operation and may accurately guide or direct the superposed edges of the fabric strip into contact with lug to so as to produce a continuous straight seam equidistantly spaced from the edges of the fabno.

It will further be seen that our improved belt turning attachment, as an accessory for sewing machines, comprises a minimum number of mechanical par-ts of simple and durable structural form which can be easily and quickly assembled in cooperative relation. The initial cost of such an attachment to the purchaser will therefore be reasonably low and individual parts thereof may be replaced at nominal expense.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than b the foregoing description, and all changes which come Within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with sewing mechanism including a vertically reciprocating needle, belt turning means associated therewith comprising a fixed tubular guide at one side of said needle in parallel relation to the feed path of the work adapted to be received between the folds of a belt forming strip stitched together at one end, and a relatively movable member operable to engage said end of the belt strip at the rear end of said guide, as the side edges of the folds are fed to said needle, and reversibly turn the stitched folds through theguide, said member having a part operable to laterally project said end of the belt strip across the feed path of the work and beyond the unstitched side edges of said folds in advance of said guide.

2. The combination defined in claim 1, in which said member comprises a pivotally mounted arm movable in an arouate path through said guide.

3. The combination defined in claim. 1, together with means for releasably latching said member and an energy storing device operatively connected with said member and rendered effective by movement of said member to latched position, to actuate the same upon release of said member.

4. A belt turning attachment for sewing machines comprising a base plate, a tubular guide on said plate through which the closed end of a folded fabric strip is adapted to be turned as the side edges of the strip folds are stitched together to form a tubular belt, a lever pivotally mounted on said base plate, a belt turning arm carried by said lever, means for adjusting said guide and said arm with respect to the base plate and lever respectively to position the guide and arm relative to each other and with respect to the sewing machine needle, and power applying means connected with the lever pivot for actuating said lever in one direction to engage said arm with the closed end of the belt and project the same through said tubular guide progressively with the stitching operation.

5. A belt turning attachment for sewing machines as defined in claim 4, in which said actuating means comprises a spring associated with the lever pivot and torsionally stressed in the movement of the lever in one direction to a set position with respect to said guide, and a manually operable member mounted on the base plate and. coacting with said lever to releasably latch the lever in set position.

6. A belt turning attachment for sewing machines comprising a base plate, a tubular guide on said base adapted to be positioned at one side of the sewing machine needle in parallel relation to the feed path of the work, means mounted on said base plate including a movable member aligned with said guide, and an energy storing means mounted on the base plate for releasably locking the said member in set position.

'7. A belt turning attachment for sewing machines comprising a base plate adapted to be mounted on the machine at One side of the stitch forming needle, a tubular guide mounted on one end of said plate to extend forwardly and rearwarclly of the needle at the opposite side thereof, and a belt turning member Qperatively supported on the base plate in laterally spaced relation to said guide and embodying means to engage the closed end of a folded fabric strip and project the same in a curvilinear path through said guide and across the ath of feed of the strip, as the side edges of the fabric folds are stitched together to form a tubular belt.

8. The belt turning attachment as defined in claim 7, together with an energy storing device associated with said member and operative to impart a belt turning movement thereto.

9. A belt turning attachment for sewing machines comprising a base plate, a tubular guide member mounted on one end of the base plate and adapted to be positioned in spaced relation to a sewing machine needle at one side thereof and in parallel relation to the path of feed of the work, a lever, means pivotally mounting said lever at one of its ends on the base plate for movement about an axis perpendicular thereto, and a member mounted on the other end of said lever and operable in the pivotal movement of said lever in one direction to engage and project the closed end of a folded fabric strip in a curvilinear path through said guide as the side edges of the fabric folds are stitched together to form a tubular belt.

10. The belt turning attachment defined in claim 9, together with means for laterally adjusting said guide member on the base plate and means for correspondingly adjusting said member on the end of said lever.

VICTOR J. SIGODA. JERRY SIGODA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Davis Nov. 10, 1942 

